*Schedule is in CENTRAL Time*
It is our wish to create a "Bardic Safe Zone"
- A friendly place to stretch yourself, and try new things.
If you've never performed before, now's your chance. If you are new to bardic and performing arts, recently returning, or perhaps an experienced performer with new material, (etc.);
No Matter What - You'll be hard pressed to find a friendlier and more supportive audience!
We are always delighted to see lots of first time, returning performers, and 'masters of the craft'.
Read more about the challenges and the general rules & courtesy guidelines below!
The overall purpose of the challenges is to encourage participants' entry, creativity, and artistic growth. Please consider the themes of each fyt and challenge as prompts. We encourage you to follow the themes and get creative with them, but no one is required to follow the theme, so please do not feel as though you cannot participate if you can't entirely follow it. Enjoyment, creativity, participation, and inclusion are our goals.
Challengers are not competitions!
Click to read more about our challenges! (*See More - Collapsible list!*)
In order to allow the largest number of people to participate, each person may enter a maximum of one piece in each challenge and a maximum of three challenges. (**At the end of a challenge, sometimes time is available and extra performers are called; this does not count towards the three.)
Use your best courtesy to keep your challenge entries limited to 5-7 minutes or less. =Including= any introduction and/or set up & clearing of performance area.
Credit where credit is due- please announce the title and author/composer(s) of the work being performed. And the works something has been derived from/filked/parodied, etc.
Duets/Trios/Ensembles of 2, 3, or more performing together can appear together in up to 3 challenges.
Individuals who participate in both group and solo performances are asked to use your best courtesy selecting other challenges. Group sign-ups do not count as individual sign-ups and vice-versa.
Please Keep Content 'Family Friendly'. **Think closer to "Apples to Apples" not "Cards Against Humanity".**
We expect to have minors (and John Inchingham) present, or watching the YouTube playlist in the future & Inchingham is much too young for that sort of thing.
Performances that push too far on this may be stopped live and/or not included in the YouTube playlists.
If you are wondering if a particular performance work falls outside this, please contact Hilla Stormbringer before the event or before the fyt where the challenge entry happens. Current Rule of thumb, if it is more blatant compared to the song, "Donald Where's Your Trousers?" - It is Entirely Right Out. (Period.)
Please be mindful of the content of your performances. Please avoid anything that would seem like bigotry or an attack on another person or group of people. Again, if you are unsure, please contact the Provost with any questions
Click to read more about the event's sign-up sheet process (*See More, Collapsible list!*)
Sign-up for all challenges happens on the day of Bardic Madness.
Sign-up sheets for the 1st and 2nd fyt, and descriptions for 3rd & 4th fyts, will be spread out on a table between 9(ish)-10am.
We will open sign up for the 3rd and 4th fyts during the lunch period.
Please start with selecting up to 3 challenges from all the fyts, (including the concert if there is one).
Individuals who participate in both group and solo performances are asked to use your best courtesy selecting other challenges. Group sign-ups do not count as individual sign-ups and vice-versa.
For each challenge there will be 8 open slots on the sign-up sheet.
Please remember that these are guidelines. If you forget, it's okay.
Many challenges are non-specific and say "perform a work/piece/something of..." etc.
"Works" includes something found, created, or original of your choice
in song, story, poem, prose, with instruments, script, improv,
...and/or anything else that's a performing or movement art!
1.1 ~ Scenes From A Hat - This is an improv game! The patron will read out a number of scenes from a hat. Act out a short scene inspired by the prompt. NPCs may be available.
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1.2 ~ Once Upon A Time Before - Perform a piece based on the backstory of any fairytale.
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1.3 ~ All We Have To Decide - Make a pitch on why you are the best hero for the adventure.
2.1 ~ Word Salad With Green Goddess Dressing - Given a word list (below), create a piece using as many words as possible. The piece does not have to make sense.
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2.2 ~ Heavenly Music - Perform something beautiful. (This does not have to be music.
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2.3 ~ A Fall From Grace to Rise Again - Perform a piece about failure or redemption.
3.1 ~ Does This Spell Disaster? - This picture (below) is a magic spell. What does it do?
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3.2 ~ Elves and Faries, Wolves and Foxes - Perform a piece based on the magical beings in the world.
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3.3 ~ Into The Woods - You just wandered into the woods or wilderness. Why did you do this? What happens now?
4.1 ~ Lucky, Lucky Us!
Perform a piece about good or bad luck.
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4.2 ~ Blow Someone Else's Horn
Perform the work of some other SCAdian. Extra applause and bonus XP for matching the theme of the day and/or choosing something that is not well-known.
A special seat of honor will be provided if the author of the work is present.
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4.3 ~ Bard, Scribe, Illuminator
Create a scroll based on a tarot card and the theme of the day. Some scribal supplies will be provided, but please feel free to bring your own supplies. Some tarot cards or pictures thereof will be provided to view (not keep), but again, please feel free to use your own.
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Bonus ~ Toasting & Boasting
Feast time is traditionally when we raise our glasses high to honor the crown and other deserving individuals.
Speak your toast (or boast) extemporaneously, eloquently, succinctly, and magniloquently, upon the person, theme, or subject matter selected. Forsoothliness is encouraged!
On the sign-up sheets, lines will have a specific toast subject to prepare to give when signing up for the Toasting & Boasting. This is not counted towards your challenge limits.